The research team asked hundreds of people to show where they believed the data underlying a bar graph would be by drawing dots on the graphs themselves. A striking pattern emerged.

You can make a bar graph in Excel by first selecting the range you want to depict, and then using the dropdown menu to select the desired chart.

This display uses a cheap six-pin microcontroller and a tri-color LED to realize a simple alternative to the usual four-LED bar graph battery gauge.

They add that very different data sets can be described by the same bar graph. “A visually appealing figure is of little value if it is not suitable for the type of data being presented,” they ...

Consider the following three key questions the next time you see a graph, map or other data visual so you can confidently decide what to do with that new nugget of information.